Clear Creek ISD board President Arturo Sanchez said on Nov. 8 he was thankful to voters supporting the propositions, which he said will help the district continue its focus on student success, instruction, and facility repairs and replacements.
"The voter's support underscores our shared commitment to public education and ensures CCISD is a priority for Harris and Galveston Counties," Sanchez said.
Harris County reported its final numbers around 11 a.m. on Nov. 8, but the final batch of results did not change the outcome for CCISD's measures, the unofficial results show. The results, across both Galveston and Harris counties, are as followed:
- CCISD's VATRE had 19,155 votes in favor, or 59.25% of the vote, and 13,173 votes against, or 40.75% of the vote.
- The district's first bond proposition had 18,047 votes in favor, or 55.49% of the vote, and 14,475 votes against, or 44.51% of the vote.
- The second bond proposition had 17,577 votes in favor, or 54.06% of the vote, and 14,939 votes against, or 45.94% of the vote.
Update at 6:45 a.m.
With 100% of Galveston County reporting, and all but a handful of voting centers left to report for Harris County, the bond and voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, for Clear Creek ISD have been approved, unofficial results show.
Results will not be official until canvassed by the district at a later meeting.
The district's VATRE, which will add an additional $17.4 million to the district's fiscal year 2023-24 budget, was put up by the district in an effort to close a projected shortfall of the same amount. As of 6:45 a.m., it had 19,152 votes in favor, or 59.25% of the vote, and 13,172 votes against, or 40.75% of the vote, according the the unofficial results.
The bond, which totals $302 million but was split into two ballot items, will allow the district to upgrade school facilities, security and technology, among other things.
The first bond measure, totaling $265 million, has received 18,045 votes in favor, or 55.49% of the vote, and 14,474 votes against, or 44.51% of the vote, unofficial results show.
The second one, totaling $37 million, has received 17,573 votes in favor, or 54.05% of the vote, and 14,938 votes against, or 45.95%, according to the unofficial results.
Update at 10:45 p.m.
With Galveston County reporting 100% of precincts, but the majority of Harris County left unreported, voters are showing support for all three of Clear Creek ISD's measures.
Results will be unofficial until canvassed by the district at a future meeting.
Current results are as followed:
The district's VATRE has 14,838 votes in favor, or 59.46% of the vote, and 10,117 votes against, or 40.54% of the vote.
The first of the two bond propositions, totaling $265 million for facilities upgrades, has 13,836 votes in favor, or 55.13% of the vote, and 11,261 votes against, or 44.87% of the vote.
The second bond proposition, totaling $37 million for technology, has 13,500 votes in favor, or 53.83% of the vote, to 11,581 votes against, or 46.17% of the vote.
Update at 10 p.m.
As of 10 p.m., more votes are tallied, but the margin of percentage remains much the same for all three of CCISD's propositions on the Nov. 7 ballot, with support for the tax rate election and both bond propositions, unofficial results show.
The unofficial results, which aren't official until canvassed by the district, are:
- A total of 11,457 votes, or 59.09% of the total vote, in favor of the VATRE, and 7,933 votes against, or 40.91% of the vote
- The first bond measure, totaling $265 million, has 10,724 total votes in favor, or 55,05% of the total, to 8,758 votes against, or 44.95% of the vote.
- The second bond measure, totaling $37 million, has 10,478 votes in favor, or 53.81% of the vote, to 8,993 votes against, or 46.19% of the vote.
As of 9 p.m., unofficial results show support for both the Clear Creek ISD voter-approval tax rate election, as well as its $302 million bond.
Results won't be official until CCISD canvasses the results, which will come at a later meeting.
The current results are as followed:
- The district's VATRE has 10,042 votes in favor, or 59.05% of the vote, and 6,967 votes against, or 40.95% of the vote.
- The first bond option, totaling $265 million, has 9,436 votes for, or 55.24% of the vote, and 7,650 votes against, or 44.76% of the vote.
- The third bond option, which totals $37 million, has 9,211 votes in favor, or 53.96% of the vote, and 7,864 votes against, or 46.04%.
As of 7:15 p.m., both a $302 million bond and a voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, for Clear Creek ISD are seeing support from voters, according to unofficial election results from Harris County.
What you need to know
CCISD has three measures on the Nov. 7 ballot: a VATRE and two bond propositions totaling $302 million.
The VATRE, as of 7:15 p.m., has 6,170 votes in favor, which is 58.71% of the vote, and 4,340 votes against, which is 41.29% of the vote, according to unofficial election results.
Both the propositions for the bond, meanwhile, are seeing similar support, with 5,982 votes in favor of the first $265 million bond, for 56.61% of the vote, and 43.39% against, or 4,585 votes, according to unofficial election results.
The second part of the bond, which is billed as an instructional technology bond for $37 million, has 5,828 votes in favor, which is 55.17% of the vote, and 4,736 votes against, which is 44.83% of the vote, unofficial results show.
CCISD sits in both Galveston and Harris counties. As of 7:15 p.m., only results for Harris County were available.
Results are unofficial until canvassed by CCISD.
Diving in deeper
Similar to other school districts across the state, CCISD officials have seen financial issues with their new fiscal year 2023-24 budget. Officials have pinned these issues on inflation, stagnant enrollment and lack of state action to increase public education funding.
As a result, they are seeking a VATRE to help close up a projected budget shortfall of $17.4 million, which, if the VATRE is approved, would be almost completely wiped out.
While the tax rate will go up, it will still be lower than previous years. CCISD has one of the lowest tax rates of any school district in the state.
Meanwhile, the district is looking for the bond to go toward a number of facility upgrades, including renovations, technology and security upgrades.
What else?
Originally, the district pitched a $614 million bond but through public feedback, opted to go to the ballot with a $302 million bond.
